5 reasons why Manny Machado is as good as Bryce Harper

4. His Glove

Harper might be an incredible hitter, but his defense isn’t quite elite. While he is solid defensively, he is unlikely ever to win a Gold Glove in the corner outfield. Machado, on the other hand, is even better in the field than he is at the plate. He’s a Silver Slugger candidate and a Gold Glove candidate.

Machado’s third base defense is even more impressive when you consider that he almost never played the position in the minors. The bulk of his experience at the hot corner didn’t come in games either; the Orioles reportedly had him run infield drills at third base while J.J Hardy, another elite defender, manned third in games. But Machado’s defense has shined at a position he had very little experience at before breaking into the majors in 2012.

Machado has been significantly better than almost every other third baseman in the majors. His UZR/150 of 17.5 since 2012 is the highest among all qualified third baseman. Defensive Runs Saved suggests that he has saved 63 runs since 2012, second only to Nolan Arenado of the Rockies, and he’s won a Gold Glove in each of his two full seasons (2013 and 2015).

Harper’s 3.2 UZR/150 since 2012 ranks 22nd among all qualified outfielders. That’s not bad, but it’s not even close to Machado.

Next: His Arm